Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 NFL Draft Grades

Grade: B-

For a player like Anthony McFarland to survive contact the way he did in college, it is almost a miracle he was not seriously injured in college. At 5-foot-8, 208-pounds, he survived contact from defenders 20-30 pounds heavier than he was and still gained yards after contact. In the 2020 NFL Draft, McFarland was one of the scrappier running backs available but it was surprising to see him go in the fourth round.

The Maryland running back surprised many at the Combine this year, running an impressive 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, only to disappoint with a vertical jump of just 29.5 inches. His speed and impressive 2018 campaign are really the two biggest selling points on McFarland that make him worth considering in the fourth round.

There is a lot to not like about this pick. For starters, he only played two seasons in college, one of which was a regression. In 2018, he ran 1,033 yards and had four touchdowns on 131 attempts. While not a game-changing back, he still was averaging 7.9 yards per carry, according to Sports Reference. Still, his ability to get so many plays of 10 or more yards is impressive.

In 2019, McFarland’s use dropped at Maryland along with his yards carried, racking up 614 yards on 114 attempts. Although Maryland started to incorporate him into the passing game more last season, 17 receptions for 126 yards will hardly qualify him as a dual-threat running back.

McFarland’s biggest selling point is his speed and ability to be a home-run threat every time he is handed the ball. His feet are constantly moving, bobbing back and forth, which allows him to find the holes in protection and take off. If he can get past the opposing team’s front seven, he is liable to take it all the way to the end zone.

For the Pittsburgh Steelers though, this pick feels like a reach. The offense’s lead back James Conner will be an unrestricted free agent after 2020. Considering his injury history and the overall devaluation of running backs in the NFL, it is unlikely he gets a new contract in Pittsburgh. Colbert will likely need to find a new power running back in 2021, either in free agency or in the draft.

This picks success or failure will largely come down to how the offense uses him. If he can find a role being a fast, change-of-pace running back, seeing the field 15 or more times a game, the pick will be a success. But his lack of weight leaves him vulnerable against NFL linebackers and box safeties. He may have been able to survive contact against Big Ten defenders, but NFL defenders are an entirely different class of players.

If the Steelers can incorporate his speed properly, use him as a receiving threat and bulk him up a bit, he could be a role player on the offense in 2020. But like the Highsmith pick, it’s hard to see how McFarland helps the roster in 2020. Colbert drafting a developmental back who was bigger and more of a receiving threat would have been a better use of resources. He could have been groomed to replace Conner in 2021, saving the team cap space for Roethlisberger’s final contract season.